Letter to the Editor: Cyclists arrive home

Dear Editor:
Thanks to all those who helped us along the way. We arrived home in Utah on Sept. 30, after driving from Virginia. We are glad to be home and enjoyed the fall foliage yesterday with, of course, a bike ride!
After 31 days of riding (2,100 miles) we arrived in Greenfield, Mass., sort of the end of the trip… We eventually rode on to Northampton and then Grafton, Mass., visiting with Cyndy’s kids, and drove (a car) down to Virginia to visit my daughter. I also added a short “hippie tour” (passed through Woodstock and “Alice’s Restaurant” in Stockbridge, Mass.,) of the Catskill Mountains and the Berkshires while Cyndy was visiting in Massachusetts.
We had a wonderful trip, thanks to help from lots of folks along the way. Had a bike and gear stolen in Colorado, epic wildflowers in the high country (especially Rabbit Ears Pass and Trail Ridge Road), crossing Appalachian Gap (18 percent) loaded and an epic passage of the post-Irene hurricane damage in Vermont. Too many great encounters with nice people along the way to mention, although one of the best was John Hueston (my partner from riding in France five years ago) tracking us down “somewhere around Port Stanley” to bring us home for dinner, a real bed, etc. Thanks again to everyone!
Rupert Laumann
Utah